Guest Review: Dreaming Under an Island Skye by Lisa Hobman

After three wonderful years of marriage, librarian Juliette Fairhurst’s heart is shattered when her husband, Laurie, is taken from her much too soon.

Devasted, Juliette decides to take a sabbatical and reconnect with her mother’s birthplace, the village of Glentorrin on the picturesque Isle of Skye.

Welcomed by most of the villagers, Juliette throws herself into an idyllic community life, taking on the role of temporary summer guardian at The Lifeboat House Museum; a role that offers her the perfect escape from the tragedy of her real life.

During her time on the island, Juliette clashes with brooding single dad and artist, Reid Mackinnon and is befriended by his son Evin and dog Chewie. It’s clear that divorced Reid is struggling and scarred by his own painful experiences.

Can these two lost souls find a lifeline to rescue each other?

Or will their pasts scupper their second chance at real happiness?

Review: This is the first in a collection of books by this author set on the beautiful island of Skye, just off the west coast of Scotland. Even though I was unfamiliar with the author, I was drawn to the book by its lovely cover that promises a trip to a hauntingly beautiful setting by the sea. I listened to the audio format of the story and very much enjoyed the presentation by the narrator, who had me captivated by the tale from start to finish.

The central female character in the book is university librarian Juliette, who has lost her beloved husband, Laurie, after a painfully short marriage. After struggling to come to terms with her loss, she eventually decides to take a sabbatical and spend some time on the island of Skye, visiting the village of Glentorrin where her mother was born. Having been welcomed by the locals, Juliette volunteers to take over running the small village museum, a post that comes with a charming cottage where she can live for the season. Her idyllic life in the village is rather spoiled by some run-ins with local artist Reid MacKinnon, although his young son Evin and huge hairy dog Chewie become her firm friends. As she learns more about Reid, she begins to understand his moody behaviour and think that maybe they can help each other recover, and perhaps she could even learn to love again.

This is a marvellous story of friendship and love helping two lost and damaged individuals to find a way forward. I loved all the characters in the book and was drawn to the peaceful island setting. Everything there was so well described that I could envisage myself strolling through the village and into the shops and the welcoming atmosphere of the pub. Reid was lucky to find somebody willing to put in the effort required to help him escape from his depression. Equally, Juliette was lucky to find an environment where she could heal. For me, the star of the story was Evin and his dog; what a lovely lad. I am now looking forward to meeting some of these characters again in the next story in this collection. 

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